Coach Brent Key Scenario

[wvGT11]

It's really interesting seeing how much Key has done in just two weeks, what was collins doing that wasnt working ? What is Key doing now?

The energy level with the team exactly represents what Collins was trying to do but couldn't.

Just imagine if key had started our season as coach .

 

[JacketFan137]

It's really interesting seeing how much Key has done in just two weeks, what was collins doing that wasnt working ? What is Key doing now?

The energy level with the team exactly represents what Collins was trying to do but couldn't.

Just imagine if key had started our season as coach .

i think key beats UCF but the ole miss and clemson games are still L’s just way more competitive.

it seems like preparation is a little different. more intense practices while it sounds like collins was more focused on reps at 75%. whether that’s to prevent injuries or emphasize fundamentals i am not sure.

as others have said i bet over the next year or so we hear more and more come out

 

[bobongo]

It's really interesting seeing how much Key has done in just two weeks, what was collins doing that wasnt working ? What is Key doing now?

The energy level with the team exactly represents what Collins was trying to do but couldn't.

Just imagine if key had started our season as coach .

Just imagine if Key had been hired to begin with, in 2018. And to think I was against the idea when his name popped up. Shows you what I know.
One thing's for certain, he's learned from the worst how not to do the job. If he just does everything the opposite from Geoff, he'll be fine.

 

[CEB]

Just imagine if Key had been hired to begin with, in 2018. And to think I was against the idea when his name popped up. Shows you what I know.
One thing's for certain, he's learned from the worst how not to do the job. If he just does everything the opposite from Geoff, he'll be fine.

There is a LOT of truth in that. Piling on Collins is worthless now, but seeing exactly where successes and failures originate is profoundly valuable. Recognizing, acknowledging and correcting (or emphasizing) the causes is the unicorn that eludes most.
I hope Key put his finger on the detrimental aspects that Collins was unwilling (or unable) to acknowledge and we continue to build.

 

[Techster]

Just imagine if Key had been hired to begin with, in 2018. And to think I was against the idea when his name popped up. Shows you what I know.
One thing's for certain, he's learned from the worst how not to do the job. If he just does everything the opposite from Geoff, he'll be fine.

I was not a fan of bringing him back at all due to some of the stuff I heard about. The thing is, people change. I don't think Key's love for GT ever changed...he had to change his approach to GT when he was employed by someone else. I think the view on Key was also colored by the fact that Collins brought him back and they are good friends. It didn't help that his OL was underperforming, and he wasn't doing well recruiting OLs until the last class. The fact is, Key has been coaching for over two decades now under some of the best coaches to ever do it in this business. That's not just O'Leary and Saban...that's other assistant coaches and coordinators that have coached with O'Leary and Saban. After a while, that knowledge and they way people operate rub off.

That said, I think we can all agree that Key is doing the better than anyone expected with the hand he's dealt with. His love for GT isn't a question...you hear it in his voice when he talks about GT, and you see it the emotions in his face when dealing with our players. He reminds me a LOT of O'Leary and Friedgen. He doesn't have a way with words like Collins...he's just straight to the point and you can tell he would rather be coaching the guys up than speak at all.

At the end of the day, results matter. If Key were sitting here at 0-2, we wouldn't be discussing anything but who the next coach should be. Anyone notice the potential HC thread going awfully quiet the last week? I think winning has helped this fan base heal, and it's also helped with our coaching staff and players. Check out this video:



I can't remember the last time I've seen our players this happy. It's like a weight was lifted off of them and something was freed. Players are starting to play to their potential. Coaches are starting to coach to their potential. This isn't all on Brent Key, but Key is the architect to this turnaround, and he's also put a sense of belief in our players and coaches that they can get the results they want. That's just as important as lifting weights, and having talent.

No one knows how the rest of the season is going to play out...but 2 games into Key's tenure, GT fans have to love what's going on.

 

[RonJohn]

He doesn't have a way with words like Collins...he's just straight to the point and you can tell he would rather be coaching the guys up than speak at all.

To me, being an engineer, I prefer straight talk. I never could get onboard with "marketing" type talk that told me absolutely nothing. I assume there are a lot of GT people like that.

I still don't know how the rest of the season will play out, but if the team keeps on winning, looks as excited about playing as they did in and after the Duke game, and fans keep coming back into the fold, it will be difficult to replace Key. At least there will have to be some excitement about whoever else would be brought in as HC.

 

[wvGT11]

As CPJ once said, winning cures all.

 

[Techster]

Anyone who saw the "Top 10 Collins GT Wins" tweet last year, this is funny AF:

 

[jacket_fan]

Heck, after watching Key fire up the student section, even at my age I would suit up to play for him!

Bingo. Give me a helmet! Let's go.

 

[iceeater1969]

The picture not taken that says it All.

At end of half time the players were at entrance to the under stands. They were right behind Key who stood alone in front of them.
The shade was covering most of the field but the bright sun made their GOLD JERSEYS really shine. And in front was the rough big man dressed in gray.

Then a guy with beer walked in front of my camera.

Great day at BDS.

The players and Key are bonding

 

[slugboy]

I know some might say that this is premature but Coach Key alreaady has us back to the Johnson and Gailey level of play where we ARE competitive, at least with the teams in the ACC Coastal. There is no one left on our conference schedule that we will be unable to compete with and have a reasonable expectation of winning. After watching the last two games, it's hard to believe this is still the same group of guys that we started 1-3 with. I am very happy for him, the staff and the players.

It’s early to say “we’re back”. We are a lot better than we were—we were playing like one of the worst FBS teams, and now we’re playing like a middle of the pack P5 team with a good defense, good kicker, vulnerable special teams, and an inconsistent offense.
In Key’s two FBS games, we’ve scored 26 (mostly field goals) and 23 (with OT).
The median scoring offense in FBS is 32 points per game.
If you average in the Collins numbers, we’re the #123 offense in FBS. If we just use the Key numbers, we’re about #99.
We’re doing great on defense lately, and held two teams well below their average, but our offense is unreliable.

Under Key, we’re about #40 in scoring defense (better if you exclude yesterday’s punt return).

Long has a job ahead of him the next two weeks.

 

[JacketFan137]

It’s early to say “we’re back”. We are a lot better than we were—we were playing like one of the worst FBS teams, and now we’re playing like a middle of the pack P5 team with a good defense, good kicker, vulnerable special teams, and an inconsistent offense.
In Key’s two FBS games, we’ve scored 26 (mostly field goals) and 23 (with OT).
The median scoring offense in FBS is 32 points per game.
If you average in the Collins numbers, we’re the #123 offense in FBS. If we just use the Key numbers, we’re about #99.
We’re doing great on defense lately, and held two teams well below their average, but our offense is unreliable.

Under Key, we’re about #40 in scoring defense (better if you exclude yesterday’s punt return).

Long has a job ahead of him the next two weeks.

i think it all starts with running better on early downs. i feel like we are getting more 1/2 yard runs than ripping off good 5-6 yards. that’s the key to any good offense

 

[yoshiki2]

Just imagine if Key had been hired to begin with, in 2018. And to think I was against the idea when his name popped up. Shows you what I know.
One thing's for certain, he's learned from the worst how not to do the job. If he just does everything the opposite from Geoff, he'll be fine.

At a job, you learn from both types of bosses, the good ones and the bad ones. That is why I said being he HC is a different type of beast than being the OL Coach.

 

[yoshiki2]

It’s early to say “we’re back”. We are a lot better than we were—we were playing like one of the worst FBS teams, and now we’re playing like a middle of the pack P5 team with a good defense, good kicker, vulnerable special teams, and an inconsistent offense.
In Key’s two FBS games, we’ve scored 26 (mostly field goals) and 23 (with OT).
The median scoring offense in FBS is 32 points per game.
If you average in the Collins numbers, we’re the #123 offense in FBS. If we just use the Key numbers, we’re about #99.
We’re doing great on defense lately, and held two teams well below their average, but our offense is unreliable.

Under Key, we’re about #40 in scoring defense (better if you exclude yesterday’s punt return).

Long has a job ahead of him the next two weeks.

This is also Long's first year, which I'd say it's an improvement compared to the last 3 years.

 

[slugboy]

This is also Long's first year, which I'd say it's an improvement compared to the last 3 years.

It could be an improvement, but it hasn’t been YET. So far, we're actually worse than we were under Patenaude.

So far, we’re averaging about a touchdown less per game than last season. Even throwing out the Clemson, Ole Miss, and UCF games, we’re averaging about two and a half points less on offense than last season.

When you consider that the defense has given the offense the ball on the opponent's side of the field more than once, we're not scoring. When you add in that Gavin Stewart has been MONEY and Patenaude didn't have a game-winning kicker, it's worse.

I prefer winning to losing, and Key is head and shoulders above Collins (literally and figuratively). Our offense is still in the bottom third of FBS right now.

We have two weeks to get it better though. If we get better every game, I'm happy. But, so far, our offense isn't winning games--it's our defense and our kicker.

{We were playing so badly under Collins our first four games this year that I wonder if he was tanking for the buyout. No, I don’t believe that, but we were so bad that I could entertain the notion. Of course, we’re better on offense than we were three weeks ago, but that’s a low bar.}

 

[Lexjacket]

The bottom line is win, and play competitive football. All the PR garbage does not apply to football. Do we want to fill the stands, win! Do we want to recruit talent, win! Sometimes you don't win, but be in the game. Tech has dabbled with that with Radikovich (sp) and now Collins. Brent Key has the answer, hard work and repetition.

 

[BleedGoldNWhite21]

It's really interesting seeing how much Key has done in just two weeks, what was collins doing that wasnt working ? What is Key doing now?

The energy level with the team exactly represents what Collins was trying to do but couldn't.

Just imagine if key had started our season as coach .

Key has brought up preparation and “what we do in the week” so much in the last two weeks, I can’t help but feel the reason he has such an emphasis on it is because he feels Collins’ never taught these guys how to properly prepare for a football game.

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

Ed would have grabbed a coed to make out at the end.

Ed would have needed a translator.

 

[Randy Carson]

"Hope is “a way of thinking that pushes us to action.” Research finds that when people have hope, they’re more likely to make their goals a reality. When people have a clear belief, a clear hope, about what’s possible, they’re more likely to take the action needed on that goal to bring it to fruition. People with hope are people who are able to envision and pursue a future different than their current reality. They’re able to set clear goals, develop multiple strategies to attain those goals, and stay motivated to reach those goals even when they experience setbacks." Source

I think the team now has hope; previously it did not. And they are starting to believe in themselves and their coaches. And that has made all the difference.

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

We really need to get the offense on track during the bye week. It gets the pressure off the defense.